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First Edition Cycling News for March 30, 2004

Edited by Jeff Jones

Gadeo and Diaz Lobato defend Manzano

The declarations of former Kelme pro Jesus Manzano have created a huge
storm of controversy in Spain over the past week, with Manzano going further
than anyone else before him (including Philippe Gaumont) in detailing
doping practices in cycling. His statements have been met with condemnation
from some, who think he is damaging cycling and his former team; and support
from others, who believe that he is doing cycling a painful service by
lifting the lid on illegal practices that have been suspected for so long.

Despite a rider protest against him in last Friday's closing stage of
Setmana Catalana, Manzano has found some support for his statements from
his former colleagues. Retired pro Dario Gadeo (28), who raced three seasons
with Costa de Almeria, told Spanish SER TV on Saturday that, "Doping exists
in cycling as well as in other sports. A lot of athletes use drugs to
get results. In cycling, it's impossible to win without doping. I want
everyone to be in little doubt about that. Perhaps not everyone is doping,
but Jesus isn't an isolated case. I've been in cycling for 10 years, and
the number of people doping hasn't stopped increasing."

Gadeo said that the doping products are now becoming so strong that
it is a serious health risk to take them. Gadeo valued his health above
everything else, and when he realised he couldn't compete without doping,
he quit. "Now I'm a recreational cyclist again, and I'm happy," he said.

Another Spanish rider, Pedro Díaz Lobato, who has ridden for Costa de
Almeria since 2001 and before that Colchon Relax-Fuenlabrada, also confirmed
that there is pressure to dope within certain teams, but claims he has
always ridden clean. Diaz Lobato was one of the few riders who didn't
sign the petition given to the riders by the Association of Professional
Cyclists (ACP) last Friday in Setmana Catalana.

"The statements of Jesus Manzano do not affect me, because I have the
opposite case," Diaz Lobato told AS. "It's wrong that the peloton
should sign a petition against a rider, when it had to have been just
as much Kelme."

Diaz Lobato added that he is "paying a price for not entering into the
game", after being fired by a team (not his current one) for not putting
himself in the hands of the team doctor. He said that he didn't know if
there was doping involved or not, but he didn't want to find out. "If
you say no, you don't enter into their game and you are no longer of any
value." [Diaz Lobato's current salary is a fairly meagre €27,000].

The matter of his dismissal is now in the hands of his lawyers and the
ACP, and he claims he has enough proof and witnesses to win his case.

Diaz Lobato is certainly a rider with enough talent to win, with one
Vuelta stage, the Memorial Galera and a stage in the Ruta del Sol to his
credit. "Perhaps I could have achieved great things if I did what Manzano
has talked about. I've done enough for what I am capable of. I know the
cyclists are indignant, because some themselves don't dope, but others
do and perhaps it's not their fault, because they are made to by the team."

An active rider making allegations about improper practices in cycling
is very rare, and Diaz Lobato believes it is because, "In this world everyone
is looking after their own arse. Injustices are committed with cyclists,
but it is easier to distance yourself from the problem."

Diaz Lobato spoke to the ACP last winter about the things he had witnessed,
but now he says that he doesn't have "sufficient confidence [to approach
them again] after seeing what they did to Manzano."

More clean than doped

There have been various figures bandied around about what proportion
of the peloton is doping. The UCI maintains that 90 percent of riders
are clean, while people like Philippe Gaumont believe that doping is far
more widespread, possibly even in the majority. Diaz Lobato believes that
there are "more who don't dope, but a time will come when there will be
more who do. We have to put an end to the hypocrisy, we all know that.

Diaz Lobato's fear of team doctors started when one of them administered
something to him and he felt very bad. "I asked what it was...he answered
vitamins. A rider told me what it was, and from that moment on I said
that I no longer wanted them to touch me."

The Costa de Almeria rider says he is not afraid of the future, even
though some might retaliate against him as they did Manzano. "Many of
them should thank Manzano for his step. Not for any particular reason,
but to shake things up because doping exists. Those who don't give thanks
are those who are being shaken up."

Diaz Lobato is in agreement with Manzano that riders should not be the
only ones sanctioned for doping, but the director and the doctor as well.
"The guilty parties are in the team. You have two options. If I deny [medical
help], I should be responsible for myself. But if I am looked after by
a doctor, the sanction should be for him."

He thinks that the chain of responsibility stretches beyond the cyclist,
and is firmly of the belief that there are unscrupulous people making
money out of the sport, without caring about the health of the competitors.
"I have proof and I will take it to court," he said.

Finally, Diaz Lobato encouraged others to speak up about illegal activities
within teams. "We must speak up so that these people leave cycling," he
concluded.

Manzano reaffirms accusations to Spanish Anti-Doping Commission

Jesus Manzano has met with Guillermo Jiménez, the president of Spain's
Anti-Doping Commission, at the headquarters of the Spanish Consejo Superior
de Deportes (CSD). According to the EFE newsagency, Manzano "ratified
in all respects the accusations made and has offered his absolute cooperation
with the investigation that has been opened, besides offering to declare
things as many times as necessary and to contribute all material and documentation
that he has for this process."

O'Grady confirms broken rib

The crash in the final five kilometres of the E3
Prijs last Saturday involving Stuart O'Grady (Cofidis), Paolo Bettini
(Quick Step - Davitamon) and others has resulted in a broken rib for the
Australian rider.

O'Grady told Cyclingnews, "I've had x-ays done today that
confirmed why I was so sore. A broken rib down on my left side is the
reason. Hopefully after a few days recovery, it won't give me too much
drama on the bike."

The Cofidis rider has been coming into form for the Spring Classics,
with a third
place in Milan - San Remo. He'd targetted the Ronde Van Vlaanderen
(Tour of Flanders) as one of his principal goals for the season, as well
as the World Cup overall. While a broken rib will undoubtedly cause some
discomfort, O'Grady said,"It's going to take more than a busted rib
to stop me from racing Flanders!"

Saeco to ride for Celestino in Flanders

Team Saeco will bring the in-form Mirko Celestino to Belgium later this
week in time for the Ronde van Vlaanderen (Tour of Flanders) this Sunday,
where they hope he will be able to contend for the victory. The rest of
the team is already in Belgium, and will ride the Driedaagse van de Panne
this week with Dario Pieri, Gabriele Balducci, Giosuè Bonomi, Antonio
Bucciero, Salvatore Commesso, Paolo Fornaciari, Nicola Gavazzi and Jörg
Ludewig. Gavazzi will be replaced by Celestino on Sunday.

Even though he lost the Settimana Coppi & Bartali by just one second,
Celestino is convinced that he can do well at Flanders after an good start
to the year. "Self belief is the most important element if you want to
do your best in a race like the Tour of Flanders," said Saeco's directeur
sportif Guido Bontempi. "Mirko is in great form and loves this kind of
race, so there is no reason why he can't be one of the main contenders."

Saeco's other one day captain Danilo Di Luca will not ride the Tour
of Flanders. After a good ride at the Criterium International last weekend,
Di Luca will race the Tour of the Basque Country in Spain before attacking
the hillier classics: Amstel Gold, Fleche-Wallone and Liege-Bastogne-Liege.

Rabobank for the classics

Rabobank has selected its big guns Oscar Freire, Michael Boogerd and
Erik Dekker for the Ronde van Vlaanderen (Tour of Flanders) on April 4.
As the winner of Milan-San Remo, Freire will be wearing the World Cup
leader's jersey in the race and will try and defend his position there.

The rest of the team will be made up of Marc Wauters, Maarten den Bakker,
Karsten Kroon and Steven de Jongh. A choice will be made between Robert
Hunter and Roy Sentjens for the eighth position.

Marc Wauters and Maarten den Bakker will in fact ride all the April
classics. For Paris-Roubaix on April 11, they will be accompanied by Robert
Hunter, Steven de Jongh, Roy Sentjens, Mathew Hayman, Jan Boven and Robert
Bartko.

McEwen to miss Flanders and Gent-Wevelgem

Australian sprinter Robbie McEwen (Lotto-Domo) will not ride the Ronde
van Vlaanderen nor Gent-Wevelgem next week. His team director Marc Sergeant
has decided to enter him into the Circuit de la Sarthe in France between
April 6-9.

Olympic velodrome roof in place

The famous "Calatrava" roof of the Olympic velodrome in Athens has finally
been moved into place, as can be seen by this animated
gif (350KB), courtesy of the Athens Olympic Games Organising Committee.
The velodrome is not quite completed, but it's expected to be by the end
of May. A test event will be organised from June 9-12, and from July 30,
the Olympic velodrome will be open for national teams that will be taking
part in the Olympics to train on.

The Olympic track competition will be held from August 20-25, all in
evening sessions except for Sunday, August 22 when there will also be
a morning session.

Manchester warming up for World Cup

Manchester Velodrome is busy preparing for the third round of the Track
World Cup, which will be held over the Easter weekend (April 9-11). The
meet promises to be a top class display of the world's leading track stars,
and will be broadcast live by the BBC, shown over the Easter weekend in
BBC's Grandstand programme.

The schedule

Friday: racing from 1 pm to 4.30 pm and from 6 pm to 10.30 pm.
Will include the kilometre time trial and the individual pursuitSaturday: 9.30 am, 3 pm and 4 pm, 8.30 pm. Features include the
Team Pursuit and Madison.Sunday: Racing will be staged between 9 am and noon and from 1
pm to 3.30 pm, and will feature the men and women's team sprints and points
race, as well as a special invitational omnium series for regional youth
and junior riders.

Tickets are priced at £18 (Adults) and £12 (Under 16), with more details
available from www.worldtrackcycling.com

3rd Volta do Rio

Taking place over six stages between April 13-18 is the UCI 2.3 ranked
Volta do Rio, an important stage race for the Brazilians due to its status
as a selection race for the Olympic Games. 90 riders from 15 teams and
six different countries will take part in the race, that starts with a
4 km prologue time trial in Praia do Leme. In total there will be 10 Brazilian
teams and five foreign ones, from Portugal, Italy, France, USA and one
more country.

Baby girl for Streel

Marc Streel (Landbouwkrediet-Colnago) is the father of a baby daughter,
Jelena, after his wife gave birth on Monday. All three Streels are doing
fine, and Cyclingnews wishes them all the best.

Palm Beach's CycleFest to host share the road rally

CycleFest, Florida's fastest growing bicycle festival, has joined together
with the Florida Bicycle Association (FBA) and Bike Florida (BF) for the
event which will take place between September 30 and October 3 in West
Palm Beach, Florida. CycleFest will be hosting the FBA's "Share the Road
Rally and Florida Bicycle Summit" along with all the other activities
at Florida's largest bicycle festival. This new collaboration will add
several bicycle safety education seminars/workshops and additional family-oriented
bicycle rides to the growing list of bicycling activities at CycleFest.